Friday Going Forward

A theme song for today: I Got You. It is about four years old, but it is still on my playlist and makes me smile.

Let me cover a new issue that is not health-related. Nike put me on medical leave (!?) and then underpaid me by a third. F**K! I had to call Nike HR and Sedgwick multiple times, and they are busy pointing figures at each other. I did not (and could have) intervene and cancel the leave and thus avoided this issue. To me, since I signed an agreement to pay me until 28 June at my regular rate and then to make the agreed final payments (and cover my healthcare until 2025), I thought this was covered and, as someone with a signed agreement, did not think I should act. Nike ended my employment and set the terms; I just accepted it.  Everything would follow the binding agreement, I believed.

I was told Nike HR would work this out and get me paid correctly. More to follow. Let’s hope the undo is easy.

I rose at 7 with just some pain. I find the pain comes as I try to sleep and put some pressure on my head with the pillow. I was up at 4:30 to get new painkillers and managed another couple of hours of sleep. I take Tylenol all day, never going beyond the safe amount in 24 hours.

I wrote the blog, dressed, and soon was down the road in Air Volvo with Linda piloting. We first crossed Beaverton and got Linda’s Rx. After that, we headed to The Coast. We did get burgers at the old McDonald’s across from the skating rink. The same Eastern European gal took our order, as I remembered from years ago. Susie was quite attached to the family that ran the McDonald’s as they were kind to her when she could travel on a bus to the rink to take lessons.

Navigation took us by the Pacific Highway to the Oregon Coast, and it was a slow but lovely drive. Linda was surprised when I showed her the road that headed home, as after all that driving, we were no more than twenty minutes from the Volvo Cave!

We stopped at the John Farm on the way as I had to use the facility. I am still empty/dump instead of a more usual flow. I have to use no pressure to go (so many jokes), and I can tell you the only pressure currently needed is to hold it in to reach the restroom!

While there, I got a fresh apricot for a snack, a jar of peaches, pasta sauce, and some salmon (canned), and Linda packed them in the cargo hold. I had no sudden needs after that.

The drive takes you into the Salmon River pass via the Salmon River Highway. Clearcuts are everywhere, but the remaining forests and the rolling Coastal Mountains make the view like a fairy kingdom. The drive is free of nasty curves, uneven pavement, and speeding tickets. The first lovely Pacific beach is the D River State Park. We stopped, and Linda enjoyed the huge, low-tide sands. I sit on a bench and then in the car. The state park has a public restroom and an excellent view from a parked car, and it is always my first stop going this way.

Depot Bay is our next stop. We arrived at low tide in the afternoon, so I did not see any whales today. We spent quite some time just enjoying the view (I was on multiple calls with Nike and Sedgewick). We then went to Tides and had a wonderful but expensive lunch/dinner. Linda had the spicy seafood green curry, and I had the special. Mine had good flavor (I am beginning to taste again as the thrush fades). We finished sharing a key lime pie; I got a slice to go for Corwin. We left after 4 from the coast, and I was starting to fade.

We did stop at The Vintage, which is an RV park just outside of wine country and on the way to the coast. There, they provide a collection of old-school-looking airstreams (for glamping) to rent and also places to rent a space. The place was neat and happy-looking. A week of glamping was about 1K. I checked and they all booked in the fall. I might have to try this and see if Dondrea and Z want to give it a spin next year. It looked fun.

Linda did not want to drive at night, but we made good time, and so we explored Dundee (wine country) and found a large vineyard tasting room, Dobbs Family Estate, still open, and got the last table for the night for a small, three, wine tasting. We found ourselves ignored as our waiter was missing, but soon they dived in to make sure we were properly wined. I bought the expensive one as, even with thrush (making everything taste like vinegar), I could tell it was good. I used the usual excuse for paying too much, that I get the $20 tasting charge back if I buy something. I am looking forward in a few weeks to being able to taste it and see if I actually like it. I also bought their dessert wine, which, again, I will drink in a few weeks/months.

With all our goodies, we reboarded Air Volvo and soon left Pacific Highway and crossed Cooper’s Mountain to return to the Greater Beaverton area. At the Volvo Cave I was tired but not overly, excellent! I watched the first episodes of Black Sails and then went to bed. I showered and then read for a while. I woke a few times and welcomed some forgotten dreams replacing the Lovecraftian darkness of the previous days.

Thanks for reading.